By Barbara Latta @DiAnnMills

This week’s guest blogger is Barbara Latta @BarbaraLatta

Observing Memorial Day is not a contemporary ideal. Remembering those who’ve given their lives for others has given us reason to value the sacrifices of courageous men and women.

Twenty-two-year-old Marine Corporal Jason Dunham and some of his military buddies sat around their barracks in Iraq swapping stories. The talk drifted to grenade attacks. Each marine had an idea of how to survive such a strike, and Corporal Dunham’s contribution to the conversation was maybe a Kevlar helmet would do the job. In April, 2004, Dunham was on his way to help a convoy that had been ambushed when an insurgent attacked him and dropped a grenade. Some of Jason’s marine buddies rushed to help him, but Dunham threw his body and his Kevlar helmet onto the grenade as it went off. He saved his friends, but eight days later he died. He’d extended his tour in Iraq by re-enlisting and when asked why, Jason Dunam had replied, “I want to make sure everyone makes it home alive.”

Observing Memorial Day

Click to tweet

Across Europe, in the South Pacific, Indonesia, and the deserts of the Middle East, the blood of millions of Americans has poured into the dirt. On American soil, Revolutionary blood was spilled from 1775 – 1781 as the birth pains of a new republic shouted to the world with the message of independence. Less than 100 years later, blood flowed again from men during the Civil War when the unity of America was threatened.

Our freedom has been purchased or defended with the blood of the sons and daughters of America. We travel, shop, work, play, and worship because so many who lived before us paid the ultimate price. The sacrifices of millions of men and women have bought our political freedom.

Over 2,000 years ago, blood more precious than any other flowed into the ground at Calvary when Jesus bought our ultimate freedom. Spiritual bondage was broken, and sin was defeated when Jesus paid the price.

It’s because this nation was founded on God that we enjoy so many blessings. We can give thanks to God this Memorial Day for those who were willing to lay down their lives so we could live. And thank Him for Jesus who laid down His life so we could live forever.